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LA
RACCOLTA ALBERTO DELLA RAGIONE IN
PIAZZA DELLA SIGNORIA
As in a semi-deserted island in the
dead - center of the city. Away from the beaten path of hurried tourist, but
also unknown to some erudite tourists the "Raccolta Alberto della Ragione"
lives its quiet existant almost dreamlike in the shadow of the power of
Palazzio Vecchio and other monument of the "Glorious Age" of
Florence, and yet the museum holds an extraordinary treasure of works of art.
There are various major
personalities of Italian art from first half of our century, with works of
high quality level, fruit of a refined and cultured collectionist, Alberto
Della Ragione.
The most extensive period is from 1930-1945, when Della
Ragione lived in friendly
contact with many of the artist.
One can feel the sense of suspense of
"Les bains mystèrieux" by De Chirico, ,the vivacity of
braque-like " la finestra coi colombi"
by Severini, the naturalistic freshness and fragile magic of De
Pisis, as in the Predica di San Francesco agli uccelli dated
1931.
The" Novecento " group is
present in all of its expression among with the strong pictorial synthesis of
Tosi following Cézanne' s example and the heroic and stern square shapes
landscapes by Sironi. An enigmatic archaism characterises Campigli's figures, which are stiff and frontal
as antique divinities and pictorially quite sober, of and earthy substance
which imitates mural paintings. Paresce, instead prefers to compose
delicate methafisical surreal fantasies. How can one forget the profound
solitude of the giotto-like fundamental landscape by Carrà or the silent intimte
and metaphysical charm of Morandi's still lives? The bolognese master
is flanked by a young Licini in his first phase of luminous
naturalism, which is represented here by a sun-filled Paesaggio
campestre
and Natura
morta
dated 1921. Casorati prefers perspective
compositions of shiny materials, similar to porcelain, as the magnificent
nude sleeping girl in a study for the Meriggio
.
The magical realism of Donghi
is expressed with the plastic luminosity of marvellous glassy reflections in
Fiori and Piazzale alberato both dated 1925. Also worthy of admiration are the fifteen-century
inspired works by Borra , such as Ritratto di
Maruzza 1935 and the primeval innocence of the later
Garbari, as in "Strapaese" , the vivacious satiric outline of Maccari
and the stern and dark masaccio-inspired Rosai. Thera are 58 works by
Rosai which were donated to the city by his widow Francesca Fei in
1963 and his brother, Oreste donated I tondini, Gli
amici, La Firenze di Rosai.
Among the group of " Six of Torino" are Menzio and Paulucci both fascinated by Marquet and
Matisse and also Levi with his
physical blazing strokes of Van Gogh inspiration.
The second period of futurism is well
rapresented by Nitrito in
velocità
by Depero the adventurous outer-space
fantasies by Fillia and five precious works by Prampolini ,
which are rich vivacious dynamic and surreal. The most important roman
artists are also present: Roberto Melli who builds concise, close
shapes with linear in-lays the entranced sanguine quality of Scipione a
modern interpreter of the dark funereal side of baroque Rome, which also
present in some of Ungaretti versus, the sorrowful gloom of Mafai in Autoritratto
(self portrait) of 1928, in brightly coloureds till
- lifes an roman landscapes and lastly the sharp expressionism of Guttuso
and the carnal passion of his colors.
There are many works by artists of the "Corrente" group,
many of whom were Della Ragione friends and he their supporter: besides Guttuso
,we can also see Aligi Sassu
as he meets Toulose-Loutrec and young Picasso in Donne
al caffè dated 1942, and also the fauve of Cassinari 's
Bue squartato
a bloody theme already seen works by
illustrious artist auch as Annibale Carracci, Rembrant and Soutine, vivid
cromatisms by
Birolli where Ritratto della
madre seems to show examples from Gaughin and Van Gogh ,
while the earlier Miracolo di San Zeno
appears to be suspended between fantasies by Chagall and Ensor's nightmares
in Morlotti's three oil paintines, the soft density of emotion is full
of scornful melancholy. In the area dedicated to Venice , we can admire the delicate colors of
Semeghini's canvases which are filled with availed and candid light,
the search for an almost abstract essentiality by Guidi and the
contemplation of feminine form
with a gaughin imprint by Santomaso. There are a few quick
sketches by young Vedova who
interprets the crowded compositions by Tintoretto in the Scuola
Grande di San Rocco
, which show the cultural roots of his
vigorous and dramatic strokes with which he expresses the contrast between
being and not-being the furious battle between light and darkness. The museum also has a collection of exceptional sculptures , two works
by Arturo Martini , the terracotta version of Pisana , which
expresses the sensual warmth of a young female body at rest and the stone
sculpture Apparizione
o Susanna
whixh
in enchanting the bronze Cavallino (horse) by Marini dated 1934 , which holds
all of its tension inwards in a perfect balance, and a small man's plaster
head by Manzù with a very intensional expression. The guest see the
young Fontana's Cavalli marini
(sea-horses) have explosive vitality quickly moulded by his clever hand , the
linear incisive small bronze David by
Mirko
Basaldella
and the expressive archaism of Ritratto
della Signora Della Ragione by Antonietta Raphael. IN
conclusion the attentive visitor can capture emotions at the Raccolta Della
Ragione the discreet refined charm of this colletion is some thing to be
discovered. La Raccolta d'Arte
Contemporanea Alberto Della Ragione, in Piazza della Signoria 5, open daily
9a.m.-4p.m.
Sundays 8a.m - 1p.m.
Closed tuersdays
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Les bains mystérieux
di De Chirico
La Finestra coi colombi
di
Severini
Predica di San Francesco agli uccelli
di De
Pisis
Autoritratto
di
Mario Mafai
Donne al caffè
di
Aligi Sassu
Donna solitaria
di
Virgilio Guidi
Cavalli Marini di Lucio Fontana |
